


Psychosis

by SinpaiCasanova



Series: Psychosis [1]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Animal Death, Drowning, Gen, Horror, Hypnotism, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kidnapping, Major Character Injury, Mental Health Issues, Mental Institutions, Minor Character Death, Murder, Other, Physical Abuse, Psychological Horror, Psychologists & Psychiatrists, Rape/Non-con Elements, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-03 19:20:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 14
Words: 14,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14002899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinpaiCasanova/pseuds/SinpaiCasanova
Summary: Witness the birth of a psychotic killer.Disclaimer: This story will deal with sensitive subject matter such as attempted suicide, self-harm, murder, physical/mental abuse, and mental illness. There will not be trigger warnings when these subject matters occur. Read at your own risk.





	1. Chapter 1

"Ok Mark, may I call you Mark?"

"Yes, of course." 

Mark figets uncomfortably while seated on the red leather couch. Dr.Hill was busy setting up the tripod to record their weekly therapy session. Dr. Hill was his psychotherapist and had been seeing him on an inpatient basis for the last two weeks due to the traumatic event. He was a kind gentleman with a receding hairline and a swedish  accent.  
"Ok, so do I have your consent to record our hypnosis session this evening?"  
Mark nodded his head in response, Dr.Hill lightly smiled at him sensing his nervousness. He pressed the record button and sat down in the arm chair in front of Mark, opening a notepad and clicking the pen in his hand.

"Mark, the reason for this hypnosis session is due to your lack of acceptance on what you did and what happened to Amy. Showing you the crime scene photos and going over the police report has not helped you break free from your little fantasy world. In order to move forward with your therapy, we must bring to the surface the memories of which you so deeply wish to repress."   
Mark shifted nervously in his seat, playing with his fingers and refusing to give Dr.Hill eye contact.

"Do you wish to proceed?"   
"I guess so.."  
"Ok, I want you to relax and focus on my voice." Dr.Hill stood over Mark, extending a finger at him.  
"Watch my finger as I count back. 10, 9,8,7,"  
Mark's eyes rolled up as he followed his finger over his head. Then, slowly his eyes closed.  
"Mark, let's go back to the night of March 20th of this year."

"Mmhm" Mark's responses were calm, as if he were talking in his sleep.

"What's the weather like?"

"It's cold, colder than normal."

"Now, let's go to when you were with Amy, before the intruder entered your home."

"Ok"

"Describe what you see."  
Mark's eyes were working hard beneath his lids, flickering back and forth. Then, his face relaxed and a smile parted his lips.  
"We're making love..it's nice, so nice."

"Anyone else in the room?"

"Chica, she's laying on the floor, asleep."

"What happens after you and Amy are intimate?"

"We fall asleep."  
Dr.Hill glanced down at his notepad and scribbles down something, then glanced back up at Mark.  
"What do you remember next?"

"I'm awake, wide awake.."

"What woke you up?"

"I heard a loud crash in the kitchen, chica was growling."

"What are you doing now?"

"Walking into the kitchen."

"Is Amy with you?"

"No. I told her to stay in the bedroom."  
Mark breathed in sharply, a horrified expression contourting his face.  
"Tell me what you see."

"Chica..she's dead. Someone stabbed her."

"Where are you now, Mark?"

"In the bedroom. She's got Amy."

"Who?"

"I don't know, I can't see her face."

"Do you have a weapon?"

"A knife from the kitchen."

"Is the intruder speaking to you?"

"Yes.."

"Tell me what she's saying to you."  
Dr.Hill's eyes traveled back down to his notepad, writing down everything as Mark speaks.  
"She didn't have to die, all she had to do was not touch you. I gave you ample warnings, now my patience is wearing thin."  
Mark had tears running down his face, though his eyes were shut tightly.  
"What's happening now, Mark?"  
Mark thrashed his head from side to side as the memory played out.  
"She's stabbing her! There's blood everywhere!"

"Is Amy dead?"

"Yes.."

"Tell me the last thing you remember, Mark."  
His breathing increased, his heart pounded in his chest from the stressful memory.  
"I'm on the floor, covered in blood. It's not my blood. She's laying underneath me..my knife is in her chest."  
Mark begins to scream, his hands pulling at his hair, sweat beading on his face. Dr.Hill quickly tries to regain control of the session.  
"Mark! I'm going to count back from 10 and your going to wake up. 10,9,8,7.."  
As Dr.Hill said one, Mark's eyes snapped open. He sat up and wiped the sweat and tears from his face. Dr.Hill was standing beside him with his hand on Mark's shoulder.  
"Are you alright?"   
Mark forced a smile and sat back on the couch.  
"Y-yes."

"Ok. So I need you to consciously tell me what happened on March 20th of this year. Make a statement on camera."  
Mark looked down at his hands, tears welling up in his eyes.  
"My name is Mark Edward Fischbach, and my girlfriend Amy, was murdered by a crazed fan that broke into our home."

"Who killed the intruder?"

"I did.."

"Who is Darkiplier?"

"He doesn't exist..I made him up."

"Why?"

Mark wiped away the tears that blurred his vision. He sucked in a deep breath before continuing.  
"Because I couldn't take knowing that I was capable of doing something like that to another human being. I was upset with myself because I didn't help Amy. I let her die.."  
Dr.Hill stopped the recording and closed his notepad. He adjusted his glasses, sitting forward a bit.  
"Very good Mark. You've made wonderful progress today. You will continue to be monitored closely for the next 24 hours, and if you don't pose a threat to yourself or others, then you'll be moved into the general population until you're discharged."

Mark stared at his bandaged wrists, he'd already attempted suicide his first night here, he's been in lock down ever since. He smiled at the possibility of being released from this hell hole, but didn't like the fact that he'd eventually have to return to that house.

"I will adjust your medications accordingly and we'll take it from there. I think another session at the end of the week will determine if your stay here will be coming to an end or not."

Mark nodded his head and stood up. Dr.Hill escorted him out into the hallway and into the hands of the orderlies. They walked Mark back to the lock down unit, different patients stopped to stare and whisper as he passed them. They placed him in his room, the door buzzed when it shut, locking him in. He stared up at the camera above him and frowned. He just wanted to go home.


	2. Chapter 2

"/The nurse brought me my pills, there's 10 of them now. I hate the way they make me feel, like I'm a zombie, mindlessly wandering though life. They don't block out the memories, or help me sleep without the nightmares.  Only Darkiplier did that. He took the blame so I could rest, I wouldn't expect Dr.Hill to understand that. I feel alone, I don't even have my chica to comfort me anymore. I haven't been able to receive visitors, not that i'd make good company anyways. I honestly wish I wouldn't have failed my first night here, or that I would have died that night with Amy. I would be happier then./"

Mark's thoughts were the only thing keeping him company since Dr.Hill's  hypnosis session. He craved to have his 'security blanket', as Dr.Hill called it, back so he wouldn't have to face this. He layed down on the uncomfortably hard mattress and closed his eyes. He shivered and drew his knees up into his chest, the nurses took his sheets on the off chance he decided to hang himself. If he was going to kill himself he'd have to wait until he was home first. He felt the medication start to subdue him, slipping into unconsciousness where only nightmares and heart ache awaited him.

The dreams were a cruel reminder of his reality, not allowing him to escape from his pain. Every night is the same, Mark was laying next to Amy, his arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace. He loved how soft her skin was, the smell of her hair, the sound of her voice. He just wanted to live in this moment forever. His face contorted as a putrid copper smell filled his nose, and soon Amy's skin felt wet and sticky. Mark looked down to see her covered in blood, gasping for air, her eyes wide with fear and pain as she passed on from this world.  
He cradled her lifeless body in his arms, sobbing to the point of exhaustion. And like every night since, he would awaken back into the horror of reality, weeping until the nurses came to medicate him again. 

The morning brought nothing new, he  was taken to breakfast by the orderlies, medicated, and brought back to his room to sit and think. They didn't trust him to eat or shower alone, he was constantly watched. Something was different today though, Dr.Hill wanted to see him for another session. The orderlies brought him to his office and pushed  him in, closing the door behind them. 

"Mark, good to see you again. Did you sleep well?"  
Mark looked down at the ground, rocking back and forth on his heels.  
"No. I can't sleep more than an hour at a time."  
"More nightmares?"  
"Yes."  
"Please have a seat. There are a few things I'd like to discuss with you today." Dr.Hill motioned for him to sit on the leather couch, while he sat in the arm chair across from him.  
Mark hesitantly sat down, folding his hands in his lap. He still couldn't look him in the eyes, it made things more uncomfortable.

"So, these nightmares you're having, tell me about them."  
He grabbed his notepad and pen and began taking notes.

"Well, it's the same one every night since it happened. I'm laying with Amy in my arms, enjoying the feeling of her. I notice something isn't right and I have to watch her die..the worst part of it is how real it feels.." Dr.Hill stopped writing for a moment to glance up at Mark.

"I see. Do you believe the medication is helping?"  
Mark played with his fingers, trying to keep his body moving. He was unsure why but constant movement seemed to help during these sessions.  
"Not really. They make me tired but they don't help me sleep."

"I'll have a medication review after our time is up here." Dr.Hill pressed the record button on the camera and adjusted his glasses.  
"What I want to discuss today is the intruder. Do you recall her name?"  
Mark scratched his head, remembering the details of the police report.   
"Shoshanna I believe, I don't recall her last name."

"Have you ever met her before that night at your home?"

"She was at every panel I ever did."

"Did she have any social media accounts?"

"She followed me on pretty much every platform that I have myself."

"And did she ever make any threats toward you or Amy before?"

"A few times. She found our address so we moved. Then she found our phone numbers, they were changed as well. That didn't stop her though. We filed a restraining order against her, called the police dozens of times but nothing helped. Then It just stopped out of nowhere, until she broke in that night."  
Dr.Hill looked down his glasses at Mark, studying his responses.  
"Do you blame yourself?"  
Mark began to cry, trying to keep himself composed but failing miserably.   
"Y-yes. I should have protected her better. I should have done more."  
He quickly handed Mark a tissue and resumed taking his notes.  
"Is this where Darkiplier came into the picture?"  
"Not entirely. He was a character I made for my YouTube channel. He was the 'dark' version of myself. I thought it would be easier to cope if he was the one that did those things, not me."

"Have you been hearing voices, suffering hallucinations?"

"No." Mark lied, he didn't want Dr.Hill to know that Dark was still there in the back of his mind.

"I see. Well Mark, I would like to place you back into the general population and see how you behave. If you do well with the others and continue progressing, you're looking at maybe another few days here. I think having some semblance of normalcy would do you good."  
Mark smiled a genuine smile for the first time since it happened.  
"I will have the orderlies move you into room 3B. The nurses and I will review your medication profile and make some adjustments."  
Dr.Hill stood up and walked towards the door, motioning the orderlies to escort him out. Mark stood up and followed them out into the hallway and down to his new room.


	3. Chapter 3

/The medications are starting to help, I'm down to only 6 pills now. Dr.Hill says the dry mouth is a side effect and gave me some kinda mouth wash to relieve it. The nightmares aren't as bad as before, though I still have them nightly. Bob and Wade came to visit yesterday, we really didn't talk but it was just nice to be in the same room as them. Dr.Hill's sessions are really helping me cope with this./

Mark wrote in the journal Dr.Hill gave him, he's required to submit daily entries which would be reviewed before his discharge date.  
He's also been lying though his teeth with these entries, hoping they buy into it and let him go. The pills still aren't helping and the dry mouth is the least severe side effect he has to deal with. The voice is getting stronger and more persuasive as the days go on.  
He's been in general population for the past week and mostly keeps to himself, but interacts with the others when he knows he's being watched.  
Mark's last session with Dr.Hill is today, before the board convenes and decides whether he's fit to be sent home or not. Mark closes the journal and sets it on his bed, where he knows they can find it. A soft knock on the door signaled that it was time for therapy. Mark smiled, it's been nice having only one orderly take him to his sessions. He's allowed to shower with the door closed now, though meals are always in groups. He walked to Dr.Hill's office in silence, mentally preparing himself for whatever Dr.Hill was going to talk about today. He entered the office and sat down on the couch, Dr.Hill was typing something on his laptop, his glasses sitting near the tip of his nose.

"Mark! I've been hearing good things from the nurses about you. Your progress is going so well lately."  
If only he knew how good Mark had become at lying.  
"Yea I think the meds are starting to help." He answered in a chipper voice.   
Dr.Hill smiled and pushed his glasses back up his face, closing the laptop.  
"Is the mouth rinse helping with the dry mouth?"

"Yea. I just gotta get used to the aftertaste. Kinda makes me lose my appetite."

"Loss of appetite can also be a side effect of the medication, Mark. Have you been writing in your Journal daily?"

"Yes. It helps to get all of my thoughts out. I really like doing it." Lies, more lies. How can't he see though his charade?  
"That's good to hear. I would like to discuss your upcoming discharge today and the steps I would like you to take after your home."  
Mark beamed at this news, he bought it, he actually believed he was improving. Maybe He's a better liar than he ever gave himself credit for.  
"The board will convene this afternoon and decide on if your progress is enough to release you. I don't think we'll have any bumps in the road there. After you go home, I don't think it would be wise to be alone. Do you have someone who can stay with you for a few weeks?"  
Mark instantly thought of Jack, who better to 'keep an eye on him' than Jack. Overly trusting, can't see though bullshit a mile away, always willing to help. "Yea, I have someone that can stay with me."  
Dr.Hill sat forward and smiled warmly at him, noticing Mark was actually looking at him this time.  
"Alright, I would like to continue seeing you on an outpatient basis until further notice. When you come to your appointments, bring your medications because they will be counted to make sure you continue taking them."  
Not a problem, there's always flushing them down the toilet.  
"Yes of course. When do you think I'll be going home? I will need to get a hold of my friend, he lives in Brighton and needs some notice to get here when I go home."

"I'll let you know when I speak to the board on an exact date, but it should be this week, probably in two days. I'll give you a moment to contact your friend."  
Dr.Hill handed Mark the phone and went back to typing on his laptop. "Press 9 for outgoing calls."

Mark picked up the phone and dialed jack's number, he hoped he wasn't recording, he needed him to answer.  
The line connected on the third ring, a chipper Irish voice spoke into the phone.  
"Mark! I've been worried sick about you! Are you ok? Did they let you out?"

"Hey Jack, yes I'm ok, no they didn't let me out yet. That's what I was calling about."   
Jack listened intently as Mark spoke, not wanting to miss anything.  
"They said I should be out this week, maybe in the next two days, but they don't want me to be alone when I first go home. I know I'm asking a lot, and it doesn't give you any time to prep, but-"

Jack cut him off before he could finish, already guessing what he was going to say.  
"Of course Mark. What kinda friend would I be if I said no to you in your time of need."  
Mark heard a faint voice talking in the background.  
"Who's that?"

"Felix. He was asking about you. He wants to come too, if that's ok?"  
Mark cursed internally, Felix would be a little more observant than Jack, but saying no would raise more suspicion.  
"Yeah that would be great! I was just thinking how it's been too long since the three of us were together."  
"Ok great! Felix is going to book our tickets and I'll start packing. Give me a call when you know the day you'll be coming home."  
Mark was beginning to feel exhausted from keeping up this facade.  
"Ok. I'll talk to you soon Jack, thank you for being such a good friend to me."

"You'd do the same for me, think nothing of it. I'll talk to you later. "

"Bye."

Mark hung up the phone and handed it back to Dr.Hill. He sat the phone back on the desk and excused Mark for the day.  
Mark walked back to his room with the orderly, smiling the whole way.


	4. Chapter 4

"Sèan?"

"Sèan?!"

Jack snapped to attention, he had zoned out again while Signe was talking.

"Stop that! You're going to hurt yourself."

Jack looked at her a bit confused. What was she yelling about? Her eyes were focused on his hands as he was picking at the skin from around his nails again.

"You were doing it again. You made yourself bleed this time."

Jack glanced down at his fingers and sure enough he'd broken the skin.

"Oh, sorry woosh, sometimes I don't even realize I'm doing it."

"Well try not to. I don't want my sweet green bean to hurt himself."

Jack gave her a warm smile, she always worried about him too much.

"I've been trying to break the habit, it's just a nervous tick I've had since I was little."

"I know. I'll just get you a bandage."

Signe slid out of their bed and walked into the bathroom, digging though the drawers to find a bandage. She glanced over her shoulder, noticing how quiet he'd been all day.

"What's wrong?"

"What makes you say that?"

Signe walked back into the bedroom and sat next to him, wrapping the bandage around his thumb.

"You were quiet today, you're never that quiet unless something's bugging you."

He layed his head in her lap, looking up at her with those sky blue eyes that made her melt.

"How do you know me so well?"

She rolled her eyes at him, thinking of a sarcastic response.

"I don't know, it's not like we've been together for two years and live together or anything."

She ran her fingers though his green hair, playing with it lightly. Jack sighed and closed his eyes, he loved the feeling of her hands as they brushed though his hair.

"Ughh, I could have you do this for hours."

"You wouldn't be able to sit still for that long."

"There you go again, thinking you know me."  
They both exchanged a silly expression, sticking their tongues out at each other, then giggling. She returned her attention to playing with his hair as he settled himself into a comfortable position on the bed next to her.

"So did Mark tell you when he's coming home?"

"Yea he comes home in two days. Felix and I are going a day early to try and clean up his place before he gets home."

"I didn't even think about that. It must still be a mess from when the police were there. You're such a sweetheart, always thinking of others before yourself. I'm really proud of you for going and helping him like this."

"Well I just don't want him to walk into his house and be reminded of what happened there. Your home should be a safe place, not something you're afraid of."  
Signe smiled and snuggled up next to him, placing her head on his chest. Jack wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer.

"What time is your flight?"

"10:00am, Felix is coming to pick me up at 8 so we have enough time to get though security."

"And you'll be gone two weeks?"

"Yeah, I don't want to be gone that long  but Mark really needs someone right now."

She lifted up her head, looking Jack deep in his eyes. She leaned forward and kissed his nose.  
"Well then, if I only have you for tonight, I'm gonna make the most of it." She rolled on top of him, lacing their fingers together, their faces inches apart. Jack smiled, his body flooding with desire.  
"Oh yea?"  
They shared a passionate kiss, pulling back before it went any further. Jack looked serious for a moment, he just wanted to savor how close they were.

"I love you. You know that right?"

She smiled and kissed him again, relishing the feeling of his soft lips against hers. She pulled back, looking at him lovingly.  
"Of course I do. And I love you my Irish bean." They kissed once more, letting the moment overtake them. Not knowing they would never be this close again.

Morning came almost too quickly, Jacks eyes slowly opened as their room flooded with sunlight. He glanced down at Signe, still tangled up in his arms from the previous night. He smiled and kissed her forehead, brushing her hair out of her face with his fingertips. She looked so peaceful, until the alarm went off. She grimaced and rolled over, burying herself in the covers. Jack leaned over and turned off the alarm clock. He sat up and slid out of the bed, pulling on his boxers that were on the floor. He grabbed his phone off the nightstand, throwing the charger in his bag. He quickly got himself dressed and packed the few last minute items he needed before he left. He returned to the bedroom, Signe was still cocooned inside the blankets. 

"Babe, Felix is here. I've gotta go."

She poked her head out from under the blankets and pulled him down on top of her. She kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Call me when you land."

"I will Woosh. I'll see you in two weeks."


	5. Chapter 5

"Jack? You ok?"

Felix's gaze was focused on Jack, who was staring out the car window, biting his nails. Jack shot him a perturbed look, annoyed at the sudden conversation.

"Why do people keep asking me that? I'm fine."

"Well it's just, you haven't really said much since you got that call from Mark. Seeing as I'm not the only one who's noticed, just tell me what's bothering you."

"I'm just nervous about seeing the house after, well, you know."

"Yeah, me too."

Felix seemed to understand why Jack had been so quiet, seeing blood made him physically ill. Jack turned back towards the window, they were silent the rest of the car ride. 

The taxi slowed and came to a stop outside Mark's house. Crime scene tape was still strewn about the yard, a large police investigation sticker still covered the door. Jack grabbed his bags and joined Felix on the sidewalk outside the home as the taxi drove off.

"Jaysus, I didn't know it was that bad."

Felix set his bags down and walked towards the yard, picking up the trash cans that were tipped over.

"Can't even imagine what the inside looks like."

Jack walked up to the front door, tearing off the sticker that blocked his way, Felix was busy cleaning up the tape from the yard. He grabbed the key from under the flower pot and unlocked the door, as the tumblers turned, he felt his heart skip a beat. He wasn't sure he wanted to see what was beyond that door. The door slowly opened, Jack peaked around the corner, feeling his heart break as his eyes saw the blood stains on the kitchen floor. Dry blood was smeared on the kitchen floor, pooled in certain areas where a body must have been. Jack looked over his shoulder at Felix who was now right behind him. Jack didn't need to say a word, he knew it was bad just by the look on his face.  
Felix squeezed Jack's shoulder and pushed past him, freezing once he saw the state of the kitchen. Jack closed the door and set his bags on the counter.

"We better get this cleaned up, I'd never forgive myself if I let Mark see this when he got home."

They spent most of the afternoon scrubbing the floors with bleach, cleaning up the broken glass, tarping the kitchen window that was smashed open. That's probably how she got in.  
It wasn't until they reached the bedroom that Jack felt sick. The room had dried blood sprayed on the walls, the mattress and sheets were a grizzly shade of brownish red, the white carpet dyed crimson in certain spots. Jack felt like the room was spinning, the color drained from his face, making it look almost transparent. Felix took notice and helped him to the bathroom. Jack collapsed in front of the toilet, shoving his head into the bowl as his stomach emptied itself violently.   
"I don't think any amount of bleach will get rid of that. That's horrible!"  
Jack pulled his head out of the toilet bowl, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What are we gonna do? We can't let him see that."

Felix ran his fingers through his blond hair, trying to think of a quick solution.  
"Well, we can flip the mattress and put on clean sheets I guess, but the carpet is completely fucked. The walls shouldn't be a problem if we scrub them hard enough."  
Jack nodded his head, standing to his feet.  
"Are you gonna be ok?"

"Yeah, it was just overwhelming seeing all that blood."

"Alright, clean yourself up and meet me in the bedroom. This is probably gonna take a while."  
Jack rinsed out his mouth and washed his hands, quickly returning to the bedroom where Felix was already busy scrubbing. He took a deep breath and joined him.

                                             ¤                        

-Schizophrenia due to trauma   
-Depression, non specified  
-Dissociative identity disorder  
Mark stared at his discharge papers the nurse had given him. In big bold letters was the diagnosis Dr.Hill had given him. Underneath it was a description of the disorders, along with their symptoms. The diagnosis seemed to fit like a glove, he didn't know how that made him feel to finally have a label on it. He glanced over his medication list, trying to pronounce the long names that filled the page.

-Chlorpromazine 75mg twice a day  
-haloperidol 5mg at bedtime   
-Risperdone 1mg at bedtime  
-Paxil 20mg once a day  
-Seroquel 25mg twice a day

Mark let out a ragged breath, falling back on the bed. Dark was getting more aggressive, not only was he hearing him, he was beginning to see things. At first it was just a shadow standing in the corner of his room, it would watch him as he tried to sleep, whispering things only he could hear. Then he appeared as a man, coming to him anytime he felt vulnerable. He would tell him not to eat the food because it was poisoned, that certain people were out to hurt him, and the pills were going to kill him. Today he fully revealed himself. He told him that he would save him if he let him in again, that he would take away the pain he seemed to be drowning in, and he would make those who hurt him suffer. It was an offer too good to refuse, so Mark accepted. He was two people in one body, Dark being the protector and Mark being the vulnerable child. No one would ever hurt him again, so long as Dark was there to protect him.


	6. Chapter 6

"I pray I never have to smell bleach again, I practically bathed in it trying to clean this damn mess up."

Felix sat down beside Jack on the sofa, finally able to relax after spending hours cleaning Mark's house. He leaned over and handed Jack a beer, opening one for himself as well. They were both exhausted, zoning out in front of the television. Felix glanced over at Jack, who had his eyes fixed on the t.v.

"Something's been bothering me since Mark called you the other day, I can't figure out why Mark called you to come stay with him, but not anyone else that actually lives in the same country."

Jack turned his head to look at Felix, giving him a perplexed look.

"I don't know. I didn't really ask him why he wanted me. I think you're reading into things again."

"No. Think about it, you two have been deliberately distancing yourselves from each other for the past couple of months. Why would he call you?"

"That's because of the whole septiplier thing. We thought it would be best if we just let the ship die, and you can't sail a ship if there's no water."

"Yeah but you never said why, it didn't seem to bother Mark, just you."

"It didn't at first, until it became super gratuitous and vulgar. I don't know why people ever thought we were gonna be a couple."

"You and Mark have a natural chemistry together, gay or not, and you both are guilty of fueling the fire. I know they were just jokes that people took out of context, but if you didn't want people to ever believe you two were a thing you would have killed it from the start. I dont know, I just don't know what his intentions are with you."

"His intentions? What are you, my fuckin father?"

"You know what I mean, Jack. It's odd and someone's gotta look out for you if you won't."

Jack sighed and took a sip of his beer. Felix had a point, but he made it very clear that he and Mark were still friends, and he would do anything for his friends.

"All that shite aside, Mark is still my friend. I don't know why I was the one he called, but I'm grateful that he still holds me that highly in his heart to come to me when he's this broken."

"Yeah I guess you're right.  It just seemed odd that he'd call someone who lived in Europe and not like Bob or Wade."

Jack finished his beer and stood up from the sofa. He grabbed a blanket from the linen closet and headed towards the guest room.

"Where are you going? I thought we were having a wonderful discussion?"

Jack kept walking down the hallway, turning off the lights as he went.

"I'm going to bed, it's been a hell of a day and Signe is going to kill me if I don't call her soon. I suggest you do the same. Mark gets released at 8am tomorrow and should be here not long after that."

"Good night you fuckin Irish potato."  
Jack gave him the finger and kept walking.  
"Jävla fitta"  
Felix chuckled and turned off the tv, settling himself into a comfortable position on the sofa. He closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep almost immediately. 

                                              ¤                          

"Don't worry, you don't have to be afraid anymore. If you feel overwhelmed just 'step out of the room' and let me handle it."

Dark's voice whispered in his ear, sending a shiver up his back. Mark didn't say anything back, he couldn't give them any reason to keep him here, and talking to himself seemed like a good reason for them to not release him in the morning. The nurse came in with his nightly medication, watching him intently as he tossed the pills into his mouth. Dark became more aggressive as he washed them down with the water, his voice becoming louder and deeper in tone.

"The more you take that poison, the weaker I become. I can't protect you if you kill me. You'll be alone, a worthless sack of shit without me. You need me!"

Mark gave the nurse a smile, handing her back the cup. She walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Dark reminded him once more that they were going to cage him like an animal if he ever came back here, making him feel a bit paranoid. He layed down in bed, Dark's voice becoming quieter as the medication started to take effect. It could never silence him completely, but it quieted him enough for him to sleep. Mark had already decided to go off the pills once he got home. The side effects were horrible and he just wanted to feel like himself again. Mark's thoughts buzzed in his head, mixing with Dark's incoherent rambling. How anyone could sleep though that is a miracle, let alone deal with it during the day. As the pills reached his head, he began to slip into unconsciousness. Hopefully the nightmares wouldn't be that bad tonight.


	7. Chapter 7

"Mark, do you understand the discharge instructions?"

Dr.Hill was looking down his glasses at him, giving him a concerned look.  
Mark had no idea what he had said prior to that, Dark was talking non stop, drowning out everything else.  
Mark smiled and nodded his head, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to himself, though he had a question that was burning in his mind.

"Dr.Hill? Is it possible for a personality to 'take over' completely?"

Dr.Hill sat forward in the arm chair, visibly worried by the sudden interest in his other personality.

"It is possible, but the host personality can always be brought back to the surface. Why the sudden intrigue? Is there something you wish to tell me?"

Mark began to tense up, feeling like he messed up his once chance of getting out of here. He needed to think of something convincing and fast. Dr.Hill would notice if he took too long to respond.

"No. I just was reading up on it and had a few questions, that's all."

Dr.Hill sat back, smiling warmly at Mark. He began to relax a bit, seeing that Dr.Hill had bought his lie, again.

"Well, questions are surely welcomed. It's a great opportunity for patient education. Anything else you might be curious about?"

"Well, I had read about how certain personalities can differ physically from the appearance of the host personality. Is that true?"

"There are mostly just theories about this, but I have seen cases where another personality can change their appearance a little, such as more muscle definition, different tone of voice, maybe even a different eye color."

"But nothing drastic, like a different skin color or being suddenly taller?"

"No, no. That would be impossible to do. The human body is a wonder, but it has its limits to what it can do."

"I see. Any way to trigger a personality?"

"Well that would depend on the personality you're trying to coax out. If it's a protective personality, simple things such as stress and fear can be enough to bring it forward. Other times, just asking to speak with the certain personality can bring it forward. That is why it is important that you continue with your medication and therapy. These things can be very dangerous if not kept in check."

"I understand. You don't have to worry about that with me."

"Never say never, Mark. Some voices can be quite persuasive. Just call me if you are beginning to feel like you did before. I don't want you to relapse."

"I will. Thank you Dr.Hill."

"You're quite welcome. Now, if you don't have any further questions, I think it's about time you go home."

Dr.Hill nodded his head in the direction of the door, the taxi Mark had called earlier was parked outside.  
Mark grabbed his bags, stuffed the discharge papers in the side pouch with his medication, and walked out the door. Dark's voice immediately became louder,making it hard to concentrate on anything else. "Remember our deal, no more pills."  
Mark nodded his head, making sure no one could see him do it as he slid into the backseat of the cab. He told the driver his address and they drive off."

Jack and Felix had just returned from the shop, they had to clean out Mark's refrigerator since most of the food had already spoiled. The cab pulled up just as Jack unlocked the front door,  he set the bags on the stoop to come meet Mark on the sidewalk.  
As the cab drove off, Jack grabbed him and hugged him tightly. Mark melted, it was the first time in three weeks he had felt such warm contact with another human being. Jack was right, his hugs were some of the best and exactly what he needed right now. The two just stood there embracing each other for what felt like an eternity, until Felix cleared his throat, breaking the two apart. Jack rubbed the back of his neck nervously, Felix was definitely going to bring that up later. Mark ran his hand through his hair, chuckling from the embarrassment.  
"Sorry, it's been awhile since anyone hugged me. I probably just made things weird again."  
Jack felt his heart break upon hearing those words. What did they do to him in there?

"No. You didn't make things weird, I got a little carried away. I realized I hadn't seen you in months and got excited."  
Jack looked at Felix who was about to say something, knowing already what it was.  
"Don't you fuckin say it Fe."  
He burst out laughing, lightening the mood.  
"I cant help it. The septiplier moment was too much."  
Mark smiled and pulled Felix in for a hug, he was actually happy for a moment, until Dark began to whisper in his ear.   
"I don't trust them, especially that fuckin Swede. He's going to find out. He can't be here." Mark began to feel paranoid as Dark consumed his mind. He noticed Felix was looking at him funny, fueling the sudden paranoia.

"He knows, let me take care of him before it's too late. He's going to stab you in the back. Him and that Irish bitch will be the death of you."

Mark rubbed his face, beginning to feel overwhelmed by his own mind.  
Jack and Felix exchanged concerned looks as Mark grimaced. Jack wrapped his arm around Mark's shoulder, breaking his chain of disturbing thought.  
"You ok buddy?"  
Mark gave him a genuine smile, looking into his blue eyes filled with compassion.  
"Yeah, just bad memories. I don't want to talk about it if that's ok."

"Of course, let's just get you inside and get some food in you."

Felix grabbed Mark's bags and walked toward the house behind them, Jack  grabbing the groceries from the stoop as well.

"Yeah, food always helps."

Mark froze as he walked into the kitchen, images from that night flashed in his mind. He felt a tear roll down his cheek, quickly wiping it away before anyone else noticed. Mark could feel Dark's presence  getting stronger, he had to snap out of it before he lost control and did something he would regret.


	8. Chapter 8

"Mark? What's wrong?"

Jack grabbed a hold of Mark's cheeks, looking him in his eyes. Jack felt a shiver run up his spine as Mark's honey brown irises flickered black, then brown again. It was almost too quick to notice, making him question if he really saw it or not. Jack called out to him again, using a harsher tone. Mark seemed to snap out of it upon hearing his name. He stared into Jack's eyes, feeling confused and afraid. He was so close to losing it, God only knows what could have happened if it wasn't for Jack. Mark glanced at Felix who looked noticeably uncomfortable.

"Im sorry, I thought this would be easier than it actually is."

Felix looked to Jack to comfort him, he was never good with this type of thing, he was the logical thinker while Jack was the compassionate soother.  
Jack pulled him into a hug, letting him rest his head on his shoulder. Mark began to cry, feeling so overwhelmed by Dark's constant assault on his mind. It was as if he was planning on him needing to be 'saved'. 

"Mark, I don't have a clue what you're going through, I couldn't possibly understand, but I'm here for you."

Mark felt his blood freeze as Dark whispered like he was talking to Jack.  
"You will."

"I-I just need a minute."

Mark broke away from Jack and ran to the bathroom, shutting the door and locking it behind him. He stared at his reflection, the image looking similar yet different to himself. He wondered if this is what Dark truly looked like. The reflection smiled at him, he didn't like when it smiled.

"Don't be afraid, Mark. I'm not here to hurt you."

Mark spoke softly, trying to remain quiet in case they were listening.

"Then why am I afraid of you?"

"My outter appearance is somewhat haunting to look at, but you're afraid of losing control. I'm not a monster, I'm here to help you."

"Then why did you threaten Jack?"

"He's going to turn on you along with the Swede. It's only a matter of time before they betray you."

"Jack would never do that and Felix is only looking out for me. He's just trying to help."

"HE'S GOING TO THROW YOU BACK IN THAT PSYCH WARD AND LEAVE YOU TO ROT! HE'S GOING TO BETRAY YOU THE FIRST CHANCE HE GETS!"

Mark began to sob, salty tears running down his face. A soft knock on the door tore Mark away from his thoughts. Jack's sweet tone gave him comfort as he spoke against the door.

"Mark? Please talk to me. Let me help you."

Mark sighed and unlocked the door, opening it slowly. Jack grabbed his hand, pulling him out of the bathroom and into the living room. He sat Mark down on the sofa, sitting next to him as he held his hand tenderly.  
"I happen to be a great listener. Even if I don't understand your pain, I can give you an outlet. Talk to me."

Mark gave him a light smile, feeling the compassion that poured out of his words. He wanted to tell him about everything, about Dark, but his fear of going back to the hospital wouldn't let him. Instead, he lied like he always does. Jack wouldn't understand, only Dark could. 

"I'm just overwhelmed being back here. I've lost so much, it's just hard to process."

"Anything I can do to take your mind off of it?"

"Just act like you normally would. I don't want you or Felix walking on eggshells around me. Can't we just go back to how it was before?"

Felix came into the living room, pizza box in hand. He sat down next to Mark, placing the food on the coffee table. Jack gave his hand a squeeze, smiling at him.  
"We can do whatever you want to do."

They spent the rest of the evening playing games, watching movies, literally anything to make Mark smile.  
It helped for a bit, but as his meds wore off Dark's presence became stronger. By the end of the night, Felix was passed out on the sofa, leaving just Jack and Mark. Jack yawned and looked at his watch. It was already 1:00 am, exhaustion hit him suddenly. He looked over to Mark who looked just as exhausted if not more. Jack stood up, looking back down at Mark who was still seated on the floor. 

"Is it alright of we call it a night? I really gotta get some sleep and by the look of it so do you."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Looks like Felix already beat us to the punch."

Jack giggled and tossed a blanket over him as he turned off the lights.  
They walked back to the bedrooms, stopping just outside of Mark's room. 

"You gonna be ok?"

Mark shrugged, running a hand though his black hair.

"I'm gonna have to be."

"Get some sleep Marky Mark."

Jack hugged him and walked into the guest room, leaving the door cracked open. Mark turned around, hesitating to enter the room that brought him so much pain. He could still see the blood on the carpet, though it looked like someone had tried to scrub it clean. Dark chimed in again, making him feel paranoid and scared. He contemplated taking his medication so he could tune him out for awhile, that only pissed him off. Not wanted to stay in that room another second, he walked across the hall to the guest room. He slowly opened the door, seeing Jacks sleeping frame under the covers. He inched closer to him, feeling safer the closer he got. Jack's eyes opened and he shot up in bed, scared to death from seeing Mark creeping towards him.

"Oh! Fuckin Jaysus, Mark!"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Jack rubbed his face, sitting up in the bed. He could see Mark's distraught expression as he squinted his eyes at him, trying to see clearer. Where the hell were his glasses anyway?

"What's the matter?"

"I can't sleep in there, I won't sleep in the bed Amy was murdered in." Mark answered in a small voice, it was almost a whisper.

Jack slid over in the bed, making room for him. He patted the mattress without saying a word. Mark slipped into the bed, instantly feeling better now that someone else was there next to him. He closed his eyes, the last words he heard before falling into unconsciousness were chilling.

"He won't care when he locks you away. I'll make him suffer for it."


	9. Chapter 9

4/23/17  
I don't feel quite like myself, the nightmares have been getting worse. Instead of Amy dying in my arms, it's been Jack. I don't quite understand the significance of this reoccurring dream. Though I know it's not me that killed him, I can't help the guilt I feel when I look at him. His body glistening with blood, his hair missing in patches, his frail body just mere skin and bone. The dream disturbs me to no end, making the anxiety I feel crippling. Stopping the medication has been more detrimental than I ever could have imagined. 

4/25/17  
I almost lost it again today. Felix has been watching my every move, I've been covering my tracks, pocketing the pills under my tongue then flushing them down the toilet when he's not looking. Dark has been louder than ever, drowning out all reason and sane thoughts from my mind. I feel increasingly paranoid. I know Felix will send me back if he catches me, then I'll have no choice but to get rid of him like Dark said to do.

4/26/17  
I don't know who to trust, no surprise. Everyone feels so far away from me. The only thing that seems to make sense anymore is Dark. He will protect me. I was a fool to have ever doubted him. He's been quiet the last few hours, Felix must have slipped my meds into my food again. Dark will make him pay for his betrayal.

4/27/17  
Hello Dark, my old friend. It's been so lonely without you. You'll always be with me. I flushed the pills down the toilet, now he can never go away. I think it's time I let him out.

Jack stared with wide eyes at the scraps of paper scattered around Mark's recording room. He's been writing down his thoughts the last few days, each entry more disturbing than the last. Felix was right, Mark is sick and needs to be hospitalised. He gathered up the papers and cautiously walked down the hall to the kitchen, Felix was standing by the counter, a bottle of wine sitting next to him. The moment he saw Jack's face he knew it wasn't good.

"Look at these, I found them in Mark's recording room. He's a lot sicker than I ever thought."

Felix scanned the papers, a horrified expression crossing his face. He set them on the counter, pulling open the drawer and rummaging through its contents. He was frantically looking for something, like his life depended on it.  
"Felix! What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for Dr.Hill's number. We have to get him back to that hospital before he seriously hurts someone."

Jack grabbed his shoulder turning him around, their eyes meeting.

"Maybe we don't have to lock him away, maybe he just need to go back on his meds."

"Jack! Wake the fuck up! Did you see what he wrote?! He's sick! This is beyond us, he needs to be hospitalised!"

Jack's eyes widened as he looked just beyond Felix's right shoulder. His face dropped when he realized what Jack was looking at.

"Shit, he's behind me isn't he?"

Jack nodded his head slowly, grabbing a hold of Felix's hand tightly as he turned to face Mark. Mark had a twisted look of hurt, anger, and betrayal. His eyes burned into Felix's, completely ignoring Jack standing behind him.

"Y-you want to s-send me back? You think I'm s-sick? I should have listened to Dark, he was right all along."

Mark closed his eyes, a single tear rolled down his cheek. Dark sensed the perfect opportunity to speak, knowing Mark would hang off his every word.

"It's ok just step out of the room, Mark. Let me handle this. I told you they would betray you, and now it's time for them to pay. I promise that when I'm done, you won't remember a thing. The blood will be on my hands."

Mark opened his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. He returned his gaze to Felix, then shifted his eyes to Jack. 

"Don't hurt Jack, please don't hurt him Dark."

Jack squeezed Felix's hand even tighter, making him yelp. Felix shook him off of him, knowing something horrible was about to happen. He pushed Jack away from him, trying to create some distance so he could run if anything happened. Mark spoke again, his words laced with sorrow.

"I'm sorry Felix, but I'm going to step out of the room now."

Felix felt a split second of relief before realizing Mark wasn't speaking literally. Mark threw his head back, his eyes flickered from brown to black. Jack and Felix watched as his body began to change, his muscles becoming more defined. A loud popping sound erupted as Dark cracked his neck, his movements looking almost animatronic. 

"Mark?!" Felix desperately called out to him, hoping he would be able to reach him. Dark snapped his head up, his eyes revealing pure rage and hatred. He slowly walked closer to Felix, who was frozen with fear.

"Mark stepped out for the evening, but don't worry Felix, I'm here to protect him." Dark's voice was unnaturally deep, his tone almost too calm. It sent shivers up Felix's spine, the way it seemed to echo as he spoke.

"Protect him from what?!"

"From you."

Felix didn't even have time to react as Dark grabbed the back of his head, digging his fingers into his scalp. He pulled his head back so that his face was looking up at the ceiling. Dark grabbed the wine bottle next to him, raised it over his head and brought it down onto Felix's face. A sickening crunch reverberated throughout the room as Dark repeatedly smashed the bottle into his face. Blood, teeth, and wine sprayed the surrounding area as the bottle broke from the impact. Dark, seeing another opportunity to inflict pain, stuck the jagged edge of the bottle into Felix's neck. He slowly slid it across his throat, severing arteries and his trachea. Felix desperately clawed at his neck as he tried to breathe, drowning in his own blood as Dark let him fall to the ground in a heap. Jack couldn't move as shock flooded his body, he was shaking uncontrollably, his vision becoming blurry from tears. He hardly felt the warm liquid that ran down his leg as he shook.  
Dark cocked his head to the side, looking him up and down. His expression softened for a second before speaking to Jack, almost like he was mocking him.

"Awe, the little one pissed himself."

Jack looked down as Felix's blood at his feet mixed with urine. He felt his knees buckle as he fell to the floor. The last thing he saw before he passed out was Dark, dragging him down the hallway. His fate unknown.


	10. Chapter 10

Jack came to shortly after passing out, not knowing where he was. The room was dark and cold, a faint dripping sound could be heard in the distance. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, it appeared he was in Mark's basement. He sat up slowly, his head still spinning from hitting it against the kitchen floor. His clothes were wet, saturated with Felix's blood and his own urine. It was at that moment he knew what he witnessed was real, wanting so much for it to be just a fucked up dream. He began to weep, finally feeling the impact of watching one of his best friends die in front of him like that. He was still confused on what happened, if that really was Mark that did that. Suddenly he heard footsteps coming from above him. His attention snapped towards the door as he heard the knob begin to turn. Light from the hallway spilled into the basement, making him able to see his surroundings better. There wasn't much down here, just a spare bathroom and a dirty patch of carpet he was laying on. The carpet already slick with blood and God only knows what else. Dark stood at the top of the stairs, slowly coming down towards  him. Each step he took boomed in Jack's ears. As he reached the last stair, a wicked smile spread across his face. Jack frantically tried to scoot away from him, terrified of what he might do to him. It didn't seem to matter as Dark grabbed his shirt collar, yanking him to his feet. Dark pulled him close to his face, studying him as he squirmed in his grasp.

"W-why are you doing this?" Jack's voice was barely audible, his words getting stuck in his throat.

"I'm protecting him. That Swede wanted to send him back to hell, cage him like an animal, and you, I see the way you look at him. Taking advantage of someone so vulnerable and broken, you're fucking sick!"

"W-Where's Felix?!"

Dark smirked, seeming to be proud of what he did.

"I made him a little more portable."

Dark gestured to the black trash bag at the top of the steps. A horrified expression twisted Jack's face. He began to feel sick, choking back the vomit that traveled up his throat.

"You sick fuck!"

Dark pulled Jack up the stairs by his shirt, dragging him down the hallway towards the bathroom. Jack struggled in Dark's grasp, trying to find anything he could use against him and break free.

"Your negligence made this happen. You let Mark get so sick that he came to me for help. That's why he called you to stay with him, knowing you're gullible and unable to see through bullshit. In truth, I couldn't have done it without you and as a token of my appreciation I'm gonna get you closer to Mark than you've ever felt before."

He threw Jack up against the bathtub filled with water. Jack looked over his shoulder as he pinned him against the side of the tub. 

"Remember Mark's little fear of drowning?"

Jacks eyes widened as Dark slammed his head into the water, holding him there.

"One Mississippi, two Mississippi!"  
Dark said in a whimsical tone. He ripped Jack's head out of the tub, bringing his face close to his own.

"Are we having fun yet?!"

Jack took a deep breath as Dark plunged his head back into the water, holding him down longer as he whistled a tune of his own making.  
Jack stopped struggling as his lungs sucked in the water, his chest felt like it was on fire. Dark tore him back out of the tub, bringing his fist down on his chest. Water spewed out of his mouth as his lungs took in air. His vision was fuzzy, only able to see Dark's outline. 

"No no no no! You can't die on me yet Jackyboy! I have so much more to show you."

Jack couldnt fight him off as he stripped off his wet clothing, dragging him back towards the basement. The carpet underneath him left burns on his skin as Dark tossed him down the basement stairs. Jack smacked his face onto the concrete floor, blood filling his mouth. He layed there as Dark slammed the door shut, too exhausted to move. His chest burned from the remaining water still trapped in his lungs. Disturbing thoughts swirled in his head, thinking of the many ways Dark would punish him for being a shitty friend. He thought about Signe, how he would never see her again. His last thought played out Felix's death, playing it on loop in his mind. He felt tears run down his face, accepting his fate, whatever it may be. He blacked out soon after.

 

"/I didn't think you could dream after blacking out, maybe it's just my brain going haywire from the lack of oxygen, or trying desperately to understand what's happening and why. I know this isn't real, but maybe I can gain some insight from my own subconscious while it's happening. There's a figure sitting in the corner adjacent to me. It makes me feel uneasy, but there's something very familiar about it. It stands up turning to face me, my heart stops when I recognize what it is. It's the same thing that stalks me when I'm vulnerable, waiting to emerge from the darkness, to make it's presence known. I sometimes see it when I dream, mocking my weakness, telling me I'm worthless. It's my depression, manifested in human form. A side of me no one ever sees, a side I'm ashamed of. Though this time there's a manic side to it, like it's insanity and depression combined into one. I suddenly began to understand Mark a bit more, maybe that was what Dark was trying to accomplish. Though our illnesses are different, I can understand why Dark appealed to him so much. The thought of a strong protector, shielding you from the horrors of reality didn't sound too bad, especially now. Would this be my fate as well? Destined to become a shadow of my former self? The figure offers its hand to me, much like it did when I felt the most hopeless. I refused, backing away from it.  It shook it's head in disappointment, finally speaking as it grasped my arm, pulling me close to its face. It whispered in my ear, sadness and hatred saturating it's words./"

"I'll be here, when Dark finally breaks you. When he violates you in ways you can't comprehend, making you hate yourself. I'll be here, when you finally descend into madness. I won't ever let you go."


	11. Chapter 11

Felix, please tell Sèan to call me. I haven't been able to get a hold of him for the past three days. Marzi and I are worried sick! Why haven't you called her?

Signe's fingers quickly typed out a text to Felix, she stared at her phone, hoping she'd receive a reply. She tried calling Jack again, his phone going straight to voicemail. His mailbox wouldn't allow another message, letting her know he hasn't checked any of them yet. She would try Mark again, but his phone has been off since Amy died. Her heart dropped in her chest, anxiety washing over her like a black ocean. She bit her lip, trying to think of her next move. Should she call the police? What would she even say?

Hi, my european boyfriend went to visit his mentally unstable friend in America and disappeared, along with my friends boyfriend that went with him. 

She shook her head, that most likely wouldn't lead to finding him any sooner, probably creating more problems in the process. She checked for flights to Los Angeles, hovering her finger over the 'book' option. The next flight being two days from now. Her thoughts raced, what If he just forgot his charger or his phone was broken. That wouldn't explain why Felix has been silent though. If she were in trouble, he wouldn't hesitate to come to her rescue, so why was she even thinking about staying in Brighton? If Jack was missing, she would have to be the one to find him and figure out what happened to Felix. Without another moment of hesitation she booked the flight and began to pack her bags, unaware of the horrors that awaited her.  
¤

 

Jack layed on the cold basement floor, exhausted from the abuse he received at the hands of Dark. He had been strangled to the point of unconsciousness, revived, then strangled again. The cycle continued for what felt like hours until Dark grew bored and discarded him down the basement stairs. Deep bruises in the shape of hands covered his throat, along with the rest of his body. After each encounter, the figure would come to him. Each time offering its hand to Jack, and each time he refused. The figure was just static formed in the shape of a man. He would sometimes be able to hear it cackling, whispering hateful things in his ear. Other times, it would stand in the corner and watch him for hours. It scared him, knowing it was waiting to consume him. 

A loud bang pulled him from his thoughts, shifting his attention to the basement door. Light poured into the room below. Dark just stood there smiling, looking down on a bloodied and beaten Jack. He motioned for Jack to stand, not wanting to piss him off more, he complied. Dark walked down the stairs, standing in front of him. His demeanor was strangly calm, dispite what had happened earlier. 

"Are you gonna kill me now?" Jack asked with a trembling voice. Dark gazed into his eyes, running his fingers down Jack's cheek.

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes.." Part of that answer was a lie, Jack wasn't ready to die but he didn't want to endure the pain anymore.

"That's a shame. You don't deserve the sweet embrace of death. Not yet."

Jack looked down at the floor, tears sprang from his eyes as anger poured from his mouth.

"What did I do to deserve this?! I tried to be a good friend to Mark-"

Dark swiftly brought the back of his hand down across Jack's face, knocking him to the floor. Jack held the side of his face as Dark quickly changed from calm to enraged.

"Don't you ever say his name!! You used him, betrayed him! You're no better than that diseased cock sucker that killed Amy! I was there, when he killed her. You wanna know how he did it?"

Jack didn't have time to respond as Dark grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back. 

"He took that kitchen knife and stabbed her 27 times, then he slit her throat, nearly decapitating her. He sat next to her body for four hours before calling for help. By the time the cops got there he was covered in blood, rocking Amy's body like a baby. That's how I came to exist. At that moment, I promised no one would ever hurt him again. Especially you, the one person he trusted to never break his heart."

Jack grimaced in pain, speaking through gritted teeth. 

"I didn't break his heart. You have to be in love with someone for that to happen."  
Dark twisted his arm into an unnatural position, grabbing his hair with his other hand. Jack could feel his hair separate from his scalp in certain places.

"You still haven't figured it out? You had to of known!"

Dark let him go, seeing Jack had no idea what he was talking about. He shook his head in disappointment, returning to the top of the stairs. Jack sat on the ground holding his head in his hands. His brain kept mulling over what Dark had said, trying to make sense of it. Before he slammed the door, Dark gave him a sinister warning.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to show you the things Mark thought of doing but never had the courage to do."


	12. Chapter 12

"/I'm so hungry, no, hungry isn't the right word. I'm starving. Dark won't allow me to eat or drink. Out of pure desperation, I've been drinking out of the toilet down here since the water doesn't seem to work for the faucet and shower. Everyday he comes to me, bringing with him a new form of torment. He's yet to visit today, but from what he said yesterday I can only assume it's going to be bad./"

As if on queue, Dark swung open the basement door and descended down the steps. Jack was curled up in a ball, biting at his nails. The nervous tick getting worse the longer the torment went on. His frail body was thinner, covered in cuts and bruises of various stages of healing. His hair missing in some patches due to the physical abuse yesterday. He was a broken and battered man, this fact alone gave Dark satisfaction. What he had planned for today would scar him for life if he lived past it. He scooped Jack's limp body up, throwing him over his shoulder as he walked back up the stairs. Jack was far too weak to fight back anymore, even if he did, Dark would always overpower him.  
He tossed Jack onto the bed, sitting down next to him as he caressed the side of his bruised face.

"I figured we would at least talk about what's going to happen, seeing as you're  too weak to do shit about it anyway."  
Jack wearily turned his head to the side, his half lidded eyes barely able to stay open.  
"Why don't you just kill me? What's the point of keeping me alive?"

"To break you down. You don't think I know about your little secret? The depression that you've desperately tried to hide?"

Jack felt tears welling up in his eyes, the mention of it like a knife in his chest.  
"How do you know about that?"

"I can see it behind your eyes, it's always there just waiting to consume you. After today, it will."

"Is Mark ever going to come back? Can he see any of this?"

"Not anytime soon. He's taking a much needed rest from reality for a while, making me the dominant personality. As for him being aware of what's going on, the answer is no. I've purposely blocked him from seeing or hearing anything that I do. That would only cause him more pain, knowing his precious Jack is about to make septiplier a reality. Well sort of."

Jack figured out what he was referring to, he was going to force himself on him.

"Oh God, no! Anything but that! Beat me, drown me, stab me if you want, just please don't do that."

"Its not up to you Jackyboy. You know, he would have been good to you. I know how much you mean to Mark, having listened to his thoughts when you were with him. He loved you, but you hurt him when you abandoned him, shot down any hope he ever had for you two. That's why I have to do this, think of it as a gift to Mark, a way to make up for being a piece of shit."

Jack wanted to fight back, he willed his body to do something, anything to stop the assault.But as always, Dark was just too strong. His terrified screams echoed throughout the house, seeming to only excite Dark more. When he was done, he tossed Jack back down the basement stairs. Throwing him away like a piece of trash. Jack layed on the cold floor, warm tears and blood flowing from his body. His flesh was covered in loveless bites and fluids from the attack. The part that seemed to bother him the most was when he felt his own release, making him feel as though he somehow found enjoyment in it. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to will himself to die. Instead, he drifted off to sleep, exhaustion overpowering his weak body.

"Have you had enough yet?"  
The figure was back, extending its hand towards him. Jack sat up, he wasn't afraid of it anymore. Not after what Dark did to him.

"Am I dead?"

"No, your body refuses to let go of this life."

Jack felt all hope leave, why couldn't he just die already? He began to sob, crying to the point of exhaustion.   
The figure knelt down beside him, placing its hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe if I took on a familiar form, you'd be more inclined to accept my help."

Jack glanced up at the figure before him, it's shape morphing into something he should've been afraid of. The familiar face not of his own making, but a gift from his beloved fans. 

"Why him?"

"Its only fitting. Mark chose his alter, you can choose yours."

"My alter?"

"A protector, something your not and can never be on your own. I merely did what you wanted me to do. He is strong, unpredictable, and terrifying to some. Everything you are not."

The figure stood back up, extending a hand again.

"Take my hand and I can numb the pain."

Jack reached out and took its hand, darkness flowed through his veins as the figure merged into his body. Jack no longer felt pain, he became pain.


	13. Chapter 13

Signe stepped out of the cab, gazing at the mess that is Mark's house. The yard was littered with trash, the grass looked as if it hadn't been cut for weeks. All the windows were covered with what looked like red duct tape. The sight took her breath away, knowing that Mark took great pride in keeping his house neat and orderly.   
"What the hell happened here?" She quietly spoke her thoughts out loud. She cautiously walked up the sidewalk to the front door, noticing it was slightly ajar. She could faintly hear the sound of a deep voice speaking to someone else, maybe Mark? The deep voice sounded unnatural, maybe even unhuman. She pushed the door open, gritting her teeth as the door made a slight squeak as it opened slowly. The two kept talking, seeming to not notice someone was there. She crept quietly through the kitchen, feeling her stomach twist with nausea at the sight of old, dried blood sprayed on the counter and floor. The house smelled of decaying flesh and urine, she covered her nose with her cupped hand, not noticing a huge difference in the smell. She stopped suddenly when her foot stepped on something crunchy, looking down in horror to see glass shards and teeth scattered on the floor where she stepped. Signe's heart was pounding in her chest, trying to control her breathing that would surely give her away if someone was listening. She regained her composure, stepping past the black garbage bag next to her feet, the smell alone told her not to open it, lest she find something she didn't want to see. With her back to the wall she listened to the two voices speaking, covering her mouth with both hands as to control her heavy breathing.

"Did you enjoy that as much as I did, Mark?"

Dark mocked him as he sobbed, the sound of his cries echoed in Darks mind. Despite Dark's lie, Mark was able to see and hear everything he had been doing, but unable to do anything about it. Dark would occasionally give him control of his mouth, but only if he wanted to speak to him. Dark stood gazing into the mirror, watching his reflection as Mark spoke.

"You're a monster! I fucking hate you!!"

Dark rolled his eyes, scoffing at Mark's little outburst. "Don't be so dramatic, I know how much enjoyment you took from my little gift to you."

"Gift?! You fucking raped him!"

Signe's eyes widened, her breath hitched at those horrible words. Who were they talking about?

"Please, I merely fulfilled your own carnal desires. I let you possess him the way you always wanted, but never had the balls to. I felt your emotions as Jack writhed underneath you. Remember the way he screamed when you took him, the look on his face as his own body betrayed him, the way he finally gave in so he could replace the pain with a small amount of pleasure. Don't lie to me, you loved every second of it."  
Signe's heart dropped in her chest, tears welling up in her eyes. The realization that something horrible happened to Jack was almost too much to process. The urge to sprint out of there and call for help was unbearable, but she wanted to hear more. Maybe she could get some information on where Felix was.

"I never wanted him like that, I begged you not to hurt him. I didn't want to hurt anyone."

"That's funny, I didn't hear you complaining when you brutally killed Felix."  
Tears sprang out of her eyes, a small whimper passed her lips as she tightened her grip over her mouth.

"I didn't do that! You killed Felix, don't you dare hold me responsible for that!"

"Did I? No, I didn't cave his face in with a wine bottle. I didn't slit his throat with the broken end of it, and I certainly didn't make little Jack piss himself from fear. In his mind, you did those things. You're the monster."

"What are you?! I know you're not here to 'protect' me! I'm not even sick, am I?"

"I'm your creation, Mark. While it's true I'm not the result of a mental breakdown, I still exist because of you. I'm a figment, brought to life by the constant attention of your fans, destined to haunt you all the days of your life."

"Why?! What do you want with me?!"

"To cause you pain. You created me, then discarded me like trash the moment your fans loved me more than you! For four years I waited to return! You mocked me, turned my name into a laughing stock! I wanted you to see what I was really capable of, so I took away your family, made you kill your friend, made you torture and rape the man you loved. I took away everything you held dear!"  
Signe shut her eyes tightly, her mind racing at the overload of information. Felix was dead and Jack was seriously hurt, if not dead already. She had to call for help but her body was frozen in place, shock overwhelming her.  
"The girl...you did that?!.."

"She was a willing participant, one of your loyal fans. I came to her while she slept, told her I'd give her the things she desired most, but only if she did what I asked. I corrupted her, made her kill chica and Amy, only to have you brutally stab her to death. Then I came to you, disguised as a savior of sorts. I turned your own mind against you, toyed with your emotions. I wanted to see what you'd do, and you didn't disappoint. You let your friends die, even to me that's cold."

"Is Jack dead?"  
Signe hoped and prayed that he would say no, not fully prepared to hear that terrible news.

"In spirit, yes. I left him with a friend of his who's been dying to get his hands on him."

Mark swallowed hard, he could only imagine the state Jack was in now. He had been beaten, drown, strangled, raped, and starved. If he was still alive, he would be forever tainted by Dark. Dark took full control again, stepping out of the bathroom and into the hallway. Signe's blood froze as she heard the sounds of footsteps behind her. She quickly looked around the room for any sort of defense against the unknown attacker. Her eyes spotted a hand gun sitting in the kitchen drawer that was slightly open. Without a moment of hesitation, she sprinted across the room, grabbing the gun. She whipped around, shocked to see that the person was Mark. She aimed the gun at his chest, unsure what to do next. He smirked and held up his hands in a 'don't shoot' motion. He spoke in a deep voice that sent shivers up her spine.  
"What have you heard?"


	14. Chapter 14

"What have you heard?"  
Darks voice alone could strike fear in the hearts of men, let alone his intimidating figure. Signe noticed his irises were almost black in color, his skin a bit more ashen, and his muscles tense and well defined.

"I've heard enough to know I won't hesitate to shoot you if you try anything!"

With his hands still raised, Dark inches closer to her, calling her bluff. Signe's hands tighten around the guns grip, trembling violently. She sucked in a deep breath, keeping the gun aimed at him as he weaved a little, still creeping closer. 

"Panic, watch her panic."

Dark toys with her as he weaved to the right, then left, watching her follow him with the gun each time he moved. Her panicked expression contorts her face as tears blur her vision. Dark has a demented grin spread across his face, enjoying the emotional pain he was causing her. This makes him want to physically hurt her even more.

"You're a brave little one, aren't you? Why don't you put the gun down, I wanna see just how brave you really are."

"No! I should just kill you now for what you did to Sèan! Tell me where he is!"

Signe's tone was anything but intimidating, her trembling voice and shaking body were enough to show how weak she really was. Dark was now standing mere inches away from the muzzle of the gun, his hand reaching out to grab it. Signe's finger squeezed the trigger so fast neither of them had anytime to process what had happened until it was too late. Dark spun around from the impact of the bullet ripping into his shoulder, his body colliding with the kitchen floor. Signe froze as she watched his eyes flicker back to a warm chocolate brown. Mark pressed his hand on the gaping wound, blood seeping through his shirt and in between his fingers. He looked up at her, regret and sorrow filling his eyes as tears rolled down his cheek. He spoke in a soft tone, his voice barely a whisper.

"I'm sorry for everything..Check the basement. Call the police before I lose myself again."

Signe was confused and scared, just one minute prior he had tried to hurt her, now he's apologizing? This didn't make any sense to her. She remained there, the gun still pointed at Mark as he passed out. She waited for him to move, seeing his chest rise and fall harshly indicated she hadn't killed him. Not yet at least. She pulled out her phone, calling the police to come quickly, placing the phone on the counter when she was done. Very cautiously she inched away from him towards the basement, refusing to turn her back on him. She could swear she heard someone singing the closer she got to the basement door. Now standing right next to it, the singing was defiantly coming from whoever was down there. She could see the deadbolt attached to the door, locking the poor soul down there. She took a chance and lowered her weapon, switching the safety on as she slid it in between her jeans and belt. She unlocked the door, opening it very quietly so she could hear who was down there. The voice was a higher pitch than Jacks, though the tone kept switching from low to high. She carefully listened to them, feeling like she recognized the words.

"One, two, Anti's comin' for you.."

The lyric repeating its self as if it were on loop. As she opened the door a bit more, light from the hallway illuminated a figure sitting in the middle of the room. They were sitting crossleged with their back turned to her. The figure rocked back and fourth, it's hands furiously digging at the pale skin on its neck. She could see it was very slender, yet still muscular. As she slowly descended the stairs, the figure stopped singing. It had noticed someone was in the room, quickly rising to turn and face who it was. Signe's eyes widened at the horrific sight infront of her. There stood Jack, completely nude, covered in cuts and bruises. Open wounds were visible along his neck as he had been picking at his skin. The holes in his earlobes had been picked open, leaving them bloody and wide. His right eye bloodshot as if he'd been punched, his green hair appearing darker from the blood mixed into it.  
She backed away as he crept closer, not knowing who she was. He flashed his teeth that were stained with blood from biting into his own arm, blood dripping down his stained fingertips. Signe turned her head as the sound of sirens filled the quiet atmosphere. The police rushed into the home upon hearing a blood curdling scream. The officers stormed into the kitchen, guns drawn and ready to fire. A thorough search of the property revealed a trail of blood leading from the kitchen to the back door, but no body was found. Signe's phone remained on the counter where she left it, the gun laying on the basement floor in a thick pool of blood. Jack and Signe were nowhere to be found, Mark missing as well. An investigation revealed no new information, though Felix's body was found shortly after, dismembered and stuffed into the black trash bag that was in the kitchen. The case remains unsolved. 

They are still missing to this day.


End file.
